Electric heating system.



- YPATENTED JAN. 20, 1903;

E. B; GOLD. ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION nun JAN. 16, 1900.

m) MODEL.

'INVENTOR:

dwwm! WITNESSES:

I By Attamys, mam/w m: norms PETER} 00.. PHOTOLIYHO WASHINGTON, n. c.

Unirrnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. GOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC HEATBNG SYSTEM.

S E F CATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,619, dated January 20, 1903.

Application filed January 10, 1900. Ser al No. 923- (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Heating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention provides an improvement in electric heating systems,and especiallyin systems adapted to railway-cars containing a series of heaters in the main portion thereof and having also a secondary compartment such, for example, as the motormans compartment on the platform of the carwhich it is desired to heat in exceptional cases.

In the embodiment of my invention, which I have brought to the most complete stage, I include a number of heaters connected serially to each other, each of said heaters comprising major and minor heating elements, all of said major elements being connected in one branch and all of said minor elements being connected in another branch, a switch by means of which I may direct the current through either or both of said branches, and

thereby control the degree of heat in each of' said heaters, and a shunt for cutting out both the elements of one of said heaters-for example, the one which is in the supplemental compartment. Forgreater convenience and for other reasons which will appear in the specification the heater for the motormans compartment when such a heater is used is placed within the body of the car, so as to leave a free space on the platform; but the heat therefrom is confined entirely to the supplementary compartment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the most complete embodiment of my invention, which is necessary to explain the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the platform and a portion of the car, showing a special arrangement of the heatingchamber. Figs. 3 and 4: show different types of heaters which may be used in my system. Fig. 5 shows the application of one form of my invention to a compartment within the car. Fig. 6 shows in greater detail a doublepole switch which may be used in the system in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 shows a more elementary arrangement of my system than that of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, T indicates the coil Z.

connection to the trolley, and G the connection to the ground.

A is the main compartment of the car.

13' B are the motormans compartments, usually on one side of the platform.

0 is a compartment for any special purpose within the car-body.

a indicates heaters.

b is a switch by means of which the current is caused to pass through either or both of the branches 0 and d.

e is a double-pole switch on shunts ff.

a ct indicate the heaters for the special compartments, which may be the same as the others or may (as in the arrangement shown in Fig. 7) diifer slightly from the other heaters.

The particular type of heater to be used is immaterial; but for the purpose of making the application of my system clear I have shown in Figs. 3 and 4 two well-known forms of heaters. In that shown in Fig. 3 there are two coils, one having higher resistance than the other, the one of higher resistance being shown at g by a fine line and the one of lower resistance being shown at h by a coarse line. Preferably the coil h has about twice the conductivity of the coil g, in which case the difference in fineness of their wires is scarcely perceptible. In the type shown in Fig. 4 there are three coils Z, 121, and n, preferably of equal resistance, the latter two being arranged in parallel and connected at their ends at 0, so as to form a single resistance of approximately double the heating power of the In either case the conductor 0 is connected to one of the resistances or heating elements and the conductor d to the other. In Figs. 3 and 4, represents any suitable casing. The switch I) may be also of any known type which will make it possible to pass a current through either or both conductors c and cl. I have shown diagrammatically a switch of the type patented to me in Letters Patent No. 639,170, dated December 12, 1899, whereby the successive posi tions of the switch direct the current in such ways as to produce 1, 2, or 3 of heat successively and in a fourth position to cut off the current to generate no heat. Similarly the double-pole switches e 6 may be of any well-known type-such, for example, as

that shown in Fig. 6. As here shown, a disk 19 carries a pair of bridge-pieces r and 5, one above and the other below, the former adapted to make connection between the terminals 1. and t and the latter to make connection between the terminals u and u in the position shown, thereby establishing or breaking the circuits through the shunts ff simultaneously. The switches e e,as well as the switch I), should be quick-action or snap switches, so called, of which numerous types are well known, for which reason I have not shown in the drawings any snap-action device. One suitable form of switch device is set forth in my said Patent No. 639,170.

The operation of my system shown in Fig. 1 is as follows: Supposing the switch I) to be off, evidently there is no heat generated in the system. Turning this switch to the position 1, the current passes through the branch circuit 0 and through the minor coil in each of the heaters 66, thereby generating the lowest degree of heat. Turning the switch to the position 2 directs the current instead through the branch circuit 61, and hence through the major heating element in each heater a, thereby generating a second degree of heat. Turning the switch to the position 3 directs the current simultaneously through both branches 0 d, and hence through both the major and minor heating elements of the heaters, and consequently generates the third or maximum degree of heat. The heaters a a, being connected serially, are all controlled in the same. manner and to the same extent by the one switch I). If the double-pole switches e c are turned ofii to break the shuntsff, the heaters a a are introduced serially in the circuit branches 0 (l and are subject to the same control as the heaters a a. If, however, the switches e e are turned on to close the shunts, the heaters a a are thereby short-circuited, so that they generate no heat. Ordinarily one only of these heaters a will be in use, as shown at the left in Fig. 1,where the short-circuiting switch 6 is turned off to break the shunts, the other heater for the compartment B being out of service by reason of the switch 6 being turned on to complete the shunts ff, and thereby shortcircuit this heater. Ordinarily it is required to heat only the forward compartment B or B in which the motorman is stationed, the unused compartment on the rear platform not requiring to be heated. Hence to change at the end of the run it is necessary only to open the closed switch e or e and close the open one. In case no heat is required in the motormans compartment the heater a of that compartment may be cut out by the shortcircuiting switch thereof, or in case it is desired to heat both compartments both heat ers a a may be rendered active by opening both the short-circuiting switches e e. No

adjustment of the heater or heaters a in use is required, because these heaters are controlled by the one switch Z) which controls the entire system and which is set to give a first, second, or third degree of heat, according to the weather conditions prevailing. The number of heaters to a is so great (often eighteen or more in practice) that the turning on or off of one or both of the heaters CL ct makes no perceptible difference in. the heat generated by the heaters a a.

In Fig. 7 I have shown an arrangement by means of which in weather so mild as to require only one degree of heat there is no heat in the supplemental heater a; but when two or more degrees of heat are required in the main system the two degrees may be used also in this supplemental heater; but in this case the same capability exists of cutting in or out the supplemental heater without interfering with the control of the other heaters of the system by means of the switch I). In this system the minor elements Z of the main series of heaters are connected in one branch circuit 0, which does not include any portion of the supplemental heater a. The major elements at n of all the heaters of the principal series and a similar major element of the additional heater a are connected in the other branch d. The latter branch is in addition connected with a shunt f, controlled by a switch 6 which may be the same as the switches e 6', except that it is a single-pole switch. The operation of this system is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position of Fig. 7, if the switch I) be turned to the position necessary for one degree of heat the main system is heated only through the minor elements Z. If the weather be somewhat colder and two degrees of heat are required, then the main system is heated through the major elements m n, and the supplemental heater is also heated through the corresponding element. If three degrees of heat are necessary, all the coils in the main system are heated to three degrees, but the supplemental heater receives only two degrees of heat on account of its construction and connections, this being ordinarily sufficient. When it is desired for any reason to shut off the supplemental heater, the switch 6 is turned to close the shunt, and the supplemental heater a is cut out without interfering in any way with the control of the main system.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a special construction of car whereby the supplemental heater when used for the motormans compartment is so placed as not to be in the way of the motorman, while at the same time all the heat therefrom is utilized in heating the motormans compartment. A chamber D, open at the end E to the motormans compartment, projects into the body of the car. The air in said construction follows the direction of the arrows shown, coming from the lower portion of the motormans compartment through the heatingchamber and out into the motormans compartment and upward again. This construction insures greatcompactness, the chamber D and supplemental heater a being stowed away beneath the seat at the end of the car, and it insures that the heat from this 7 heater shall be discharged into the compartment to be heated and prevents any draft of air blowing from this compartment back into the car.

Although I have described my invention as applied to a system in which three degrees of heat are provided, yet it will be understood that my invention is not limited to this detail, but is equally applicable to a system adapted to give a greater or less number of gradations of heat. For example, by omitting the point marked 3 on the switch I) but two gradations will be provided. For a greater number of gradations than three the switch and heaters may be modified, indicated in my said Patent No. 639,170.

Although I have described a practical embodiment of my invention with great particularity, I am not to be understood as confining myself to the particular embodiment shown and described, since it is obvious that many modifications in the details and arrangement of parts are possible to those skilled in the art.

My invention is not limited in its application to heating end compartments for motormen, but may be applied equally well to any compartment within a caras, for example, in the manner shown in Fig. 5, where the same supplemental heater a and short-circuiting switch eare applied in connection with a compartment 0. Nor is myinvention limited to application to a compartment, as it may he in part applied to any heateror heaters within a car bycarrying ashuntorshunts around such heater, as shown in dotted lines at e in Fig.1, and applying the short-circuiting switch in this shunt.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, are the followingdefined novel features, all substantially as set forth:

1. An electric heating system for a single car, comprising a number of heaters in said car, a circuit connecting in series a heating element of each of said heaters, an additional heater (or number of heaters) in said circuit and in said car, a shunt connected to short-circuit said additional heater, a circuit-breaker in said shunt, and means for cutting off the heat entirely from said heaters and also for varying the degree of heat therein.

2. An electric heating system comprising a number of heaters connected serially, each of said heaters comprising a plurality of heating elements, and an additional heater (or number of heaters), a heating, element of said additional heater and one of the heating elements in each of said first-mentioned heaters alone composing one branch and the remaining heating elements of said first-mentioned heaters alone composing a second branch.

3. An electric heating system comprising a number of heaters connected serially, each of said heaters comprising a plurality of heating elements, and an additional heater (or number of heaters), a heating element of said additional heater and one of the heating elements in each of said first-mentioned heaters alone composing one branch and the remaining heating elements of said first-mentioned heaters alone composing a second branch, a shunt in said first branch connected to shortcircuit said additional heater, and a circuithrealzer in said shunt.

4. An electric heating system for a single car, comprising a number of heaters in said car connected serially, each of said heaters comprising a plurality of heating elements, and an additional heater (or number of heaters) in said car, aheating element of, said additional heater and one of the heating elementsof each of said first-mentioned heaters alone composing one branch, and the remaining heating elements of said first-mentioned heaters alone composing a second branch.

5. The combination in a car having a main compartment and a secondary compartment, of an electric heating system comprising a number of heaters in said main compartment, an additional heater (or number of heaters) in said secondary compartment, a circuit connecting in seriesa heating element of each of said heaters, a shunt connected to short-circuit said additional heater, a circuit-breaker in said shunt, and means for cutting off the heat entirely from said heaters and also for varying the degree of heat therein.

6. The combination in a car having a main compartment and a secondary compartment, of an electric heating system comprising a number of heaters in said main compartment, and an additional heater (oi-number of heaters) in said secondary compartment, each of said heaters comprising a major and a minor heating element, a branch connecting said major elements serially, a second branch connecting said minor elements serially, a switch for directing the current through either or both of said branches for varying the degree of heat simultaneously in each of said heaters, a shunt connected to short-circuit said additional heater, and a switch in said shunt, whereby said additional heater may be regulated simultaneously with the others or be cut out without interfering With the regulation of the others.

7. An electric heating system comprising a number of heaters, each of said heaters comprising a major and a minor heating element, abranch connecting said major elements serially, a second branch connecting said minor elements serially, a switch for directing the current through either or both of said branches for varying the degree of heat simultaneously in each of said heaters, a shunt connected to short-circuit one (or more) of said heaters, and a switch in said shunt, whereby said last-mentioned heater may be regulated simultaneously with the others or be cut out without interfering with the regulation of the others.

8. An electric heating system comprisinga heater may be regulated simultaneously With the others or be cut out Without interfering with the regulation of the others.

111 Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing number of heaters, each of said heaters comprising a major and a minorheating element, a branch connecting said major element serially, a second branch connecting said minor elements serially, a switch for directing the current through either or both of said Witnesses.

branches, a shunt in each of said branches connected to short-circuit one (or more) of EDWARD GOLD said heaters, and a double-pole switch for Vitnesses:

THOMAS F. WALLACE, FRED WHITE.

making or breaking simultaneously both said shunts, whereby said last-mentioned 

